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Private Detectives and Investigators Occupation Detailed Description

Private Detectives and Investigators career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Private Detectives and Investigators

The main tasks and work activities of Private Detectives and Investigators are to prepare investigation or incident reports, use databases to locate investigation details or other information, examine records or other types of data to investigate criminal activities, investigate personal characteristics or activities of individuals. In general, for the Private Detectives and Investigators, active Listening, speaking, critical Thinking, reading Comprehension and other 10 skills are required.
Private Detectives and Investigators Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Private Detectives and Investigators jobs. 25.11% of Private Detectives and Investigators have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 4.25% of Private Detectives and Investigators have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
25.11%
Post-Secondary Certificate
4.25%
Some College Courses
12.07%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
16.41%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
42.16%

Tasks and Work Activities of Private Detectives and Investigators

  • Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.
  • Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.
  • Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.
  • Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.
  • Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.
  • Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.
  • Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras.
  • Alert appropriate personnel to suspects' locations.
  • Perform undercover operations, such as evaluating the performance or honesty of employees by posing as customers or employees.
  • Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills.
  • Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.
  • Confer with establishment officials, security departments, police, or postal officials to identify problems, provide information, or receive instructions.
  • Apprehend suspects and release them to law enforcement authorities or security personnel.
  • Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages.
  • Warn troublemakers causing problems on establishment premises and eject them from premises when necessary.
  • Monitor industrial or commercial properties to enforce conformance to establishment rules and to protect people or property.
  • Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Prepare investigation or incident reports.
  • Use databases to locate investigation details or other information.
  • Examine records or other types of data to investigate criminal activities.
  • Investigate personal characteristics or activities of individuals.
  • Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.
  • Interview people to obtain information about actions or status of individuals.
  • Record crime or accident scene evidence with video or still cameras.
  • Observe individuals' activities to gather information or compile evidence.
  • Communicate situation details to appropriate personnel.
  • Investigate crimes committed within organizations.
  • Collaborate with law enforcement or security agencies to respond to incidents.
  • Apprehend criminal suspects.
  • Warn individuals about rule violations or safety concerns.
  • Prevent unauthorized individuals from entering restricted areas.
  • Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.

Skills and Abilities for Private Detectives and Investigators

  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Still camerase.g. 35 millimeter cameras
  • Biological evidence collection kitse.g. Biological evidence collection kits
  • Digital camerase.g. Compact digital cameras
  • Scannerse.g. Computer data input scanners
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital voice recorderse.g. Digital audio recorders
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital video cameras
  • Fingerprint latent print kitse.g. Fingerprint evidence kits
  • Global positioning system GPS receivere.g. Global positioning system GPS receivers
  • Handgunse.g. Handguns
  • Binocularse.g. High powered binoculars
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Light enhancing cameras or vision devicese.g. Night vision goggles
  • Telescopese.g. Optical telescopes
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.